Apple Launched M5 MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. Here’s What Changed

Apple unveiled the latest MacBook lineup that will feature the M5 chips, which can enhance the AI performance, battery life, and storage for both everyday users and professionals. 

Apple’s new MacBook lineup was announced on March 3, 2026. The models announced were,

  • MacBook Air with M5
  • MacBook Pro with M5 Pro
  • MacBook Pro with M5 Max.

All the laptops in the lineup will run on macOS Tahoe.

Let us look at the specifications being offered with the new MacBook lineup.

MacBook Air M5: Overview

The MacBook Air, powered by the new M5 chip, is Apple’s latest entry-level MacBook and is designed for students and everyday users who want macOS performance in a lightweight package.

The M5 chip comprises a 10-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU with Neural Accelerators in each core. 

Other than that, it now doubles base storage to 512GB SSD and is further configurable up to 4TB, with twice the read/write speed of the prior generation for quicker file handling.

Apple Launches MacBook Pro and MacBook Air All About M5 Chipsets

These specifications deliver up to 4x faster AI tasks than M4 Air and 9.5x over M1, ideal for Apple Intelligence features like image generation or video enhancement. 

Apple Launches MacBook Pro and MacBook Air All About M5 Chipsets 1

At the same time, the battery lasts up to 18 hours, the display is a bright 500-nit Liquid Retina, and the new N1 chip adds Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.​

Also See: Best Premium Android Tablets in india 2026

MacBook Pro M5 Pro: Overview

The MacBook Pro M5 Pro uses Apple’s new Fusion Architecture, with an 18-core CPU: 6 super cores and 12 performance cores.

For the GPU, it scales to 20 cores with Neural Accelerators, offering 4x peak AI compute vs. M4 Pro and up to 35% better ray-tracing graphics. 

MacBook Pro M5 Pro Overview

Beyond that, unified memory goes up to 64GB with up to 307GB/s memory bandwidth. It also includes a 16-core Neural Engine to support Apple Intelligence features, along with dedicated hardware acceleration for ProRes and AV1.

Last but not least, the MacBook Pro features a Liquid Retina XDR display, a 12MP camera, and a six-speaker audio system. It also includes three Thunderbolt 5 ports, an HDMI port with 8K support, an SDXC card slot, and MagSafe charging support.

Also See: Samsung Galaxy S26 Series Launched: Pricing and Specifications

MacBook Pro M5 Max: Overview

The MacBook Pro M5 Max is the high-end variant of Apple’s latest MacBook Pro lineup and is built for top-of-the-line performance. The M5 Max has more CPU and GPU cores, higher memory options, and faster memory bandwidth compared to the above.

These factors make it ideal for high-intensive tasks like video editing, 3D rendering, and AI workflows. As such, this MacBook can be a good choice for 3D artists, developers, and AI researchers with the same 18-core CPU and a massive 40-core GPU.  

Other than that, it is believed to help the multithreaded CPU 15% over M4 Max, with 128GB memory at 614GB/s for huge datasets and LLMs.

Apple Launches MacBook Pro and MacBook Air All About M5 Chipsets 2

AI GPU is believed to better and 30% better in ray-tracing vs the predecessor M4 Max. The Display, battery, and camera are the same as the MacBook Pro, but it supports four external displays. 

Lastly, the Apple M5 chipsets are designed to deliver an improved AI experience, combined with Apple Intelligence. Compared to the previous M4 generation, the new lineup also brings noticeable upgrades in specifications.

AI Performance and Availability

The MacBook Air will be available in 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, with pricing starting from $1,099 (INR 1,00,710) for the 13-inch model, with education pricing at $999 (INR 91,546).

The 14-inch MacBook Pro M5 Pro is available for $2,199 (INR 2,01,493) while the 16-inch available for $2,699 (INR 2,47,320).

The MacBook Pro 14-inch with the M5 Max starts at $3,599 (INR 3,29,826), while the MacBook Pro 16-inch with the same chip starts at $3,899 (INR 3,57,310).

.SizesPrices
MacBook Air13-inch & 15-inchStarting at $1,099
MacBook Pro M5 Pro14-inch & 16-inchStarting at $2,199
MacBook Pro M5 Max14-inch & 16-inchStarting at $3,599

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Apple MacBook Pro and MacBook Air: FAQs

What is the Apple M5 chip?

Apple M5 is Apple’s latest generation of in-house Mac processor and is designed to power MacBook with improved performance and enhanced AI capabilities.

When will the MacBook Pro M5 launch?

The pre-orders for the MacBook Pro have started, with sales starting from March 11, 2026.

Rajiv Arya

Rajiv Arya is a curious tech enthusiast with a soft spot for smartphones and tablets. He loves diving into new launches, comparing features, and creating helpful buying lists that make it easier for readers to choose the right device. When he’s not testing gadgets, he’s exploring new iOS apps or playing games on his Xbox.

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